Magruder: Tips for maintaining a healthy septic system

Saturday

Jun 10, 2017 at 2:01 AM

Thousands of homeowners throughout Lake and Sumter counties depend on a septic system to handle their home’s sewage, however, many of them have no idea how the system works or where it’s located on their property. Septic systems become a topic of conversation when they fail and sewage either backs up into the home or leaches into the yard. By understanding your septic system, coupled with a little maintenance, you can prevent these unwanted events.

Kami Suggs is the owner of Leesburg Septic Inc., and since 1983 the family-owned business has been installing and servicing thousands of septic systems throughout Central Florida. Suggs contends that septic systems are extremely environmentally friendly if installed and maintained correctly because sewage water (or affluent) can be purified in the ground in as little as 2 feet. She points out that a typical house with three bedrooms and 2,200 square feet will need a 1,050 gallon septic tank and about 375 square feet of drain field. This will cost a homeowner from $3,100 to $3,500 for a permit and installation. The advantage is there are no monthly sewer bills.

The anatomy of a septic system is simple. A sewer line from the home typically moves 150 to 200 gallons of affluent to a septic storage tank, which has two chambers. Bacteria in the tank will break down solids and the affluent will gradually move to the exit chamber of the tank, where it passes through a filter to a head line, which feeds pipes to a drain field. As the affluent enters the drain field it percolates into the soil where it is purified by natural means before entering the aquifer. Before any septic system is installed, soil engineers perform a perc test, which shows how quickly water seeps into the soil on the respective property. Filters on newer septic tanks can help prevent solids from moving to the drain field, which can create a biomat, which in many cases can cause the drain field to fail.

According to Suggs, a healthy septic system should only need pumping every three to five years at a cost from $240 to $275. Leesburg Septic offers a septic tank and system inspection for buyers of older homes. During the inspection the system is pumped, the tank is inspected for cracks, the sewer lines are checked for obstructions, the filter is cleaned and the drain field has water pumped into it to check the system for percolation. In many cases, the inspection and tank pumping can be done on the same day.

New installations and septic system repairs require a permit from the county, which can take as long as two weeks to secure.

Here are some tips from Leesburg Septic to keep your system working well:

Use toilet paper that is septic system friendly.Antibacterial soaps and cleaners can kill the bacteria in your septic system, reducing its efficiency. Limit their use or use septic-friendly products.Kitchen grease and bath oils can create a biomat in the drain field inhibiting the percolation of affluent. Avoid disposing any oils in your septic system.Know where your septic tank and drain field are located on your property. Never pull a vehicle over a septic system and do not plant trees or landscaping close to or on top of a septic system. Roots from trees and plants can cause major problems and backup the system.Septic tank additives help keep bacteria alive in the system and should be used if the homeowner is using a lot of soaps or antibacterial cleaners.A septic system is designed for norms in a home. Multiple families living in a home can flood a septic system and cause it to fail.Avoid flushing household wipes and paper towels in the system as many do not breakdown as advertised.

The first signs of a septic system failure is a gurgling noise in the bathroom closest to the septic system or affluent seeping on top of the ground. At that point, call a professional as government regulations are very stern on what can be done to repair a system.

By following these few easy tips, a septic system should not fail and offer a lifetime of savings.

Don Magruder is the CEO of Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply Inc. He is also the host of the Around the House radio show heard every Monday at noon on My790AM WLBE in Leesburg.